Aaron Ramsey hopes Arsenal can enjoy a strong second half of the season after they consigned Manchester City to a 2-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners, who beat City to lift the Community Shield in August and drew against Manuel Pellegrini's men at the Emirates a month later, thoroughly deserved all three points and the margin of victory could have been greater.

Santi Cazorla put the Gunners ahead from the penalty spot in the first half after City skipper Vincent Kompany fouled Nacho Monreal in the area, and Olivier Giroud doubled their advantage midway through the second period with a deft header.

The victory for Arsene Wenger's side saw them leapfrog north London rivals Tottenham into fifth place and close to within a point of fourth-placed Manchester United and Ramsey hopes the Gunners can finish the season with a flourish.

"Everybody else won on the weekend so it was important for us to get the win as well, which we did," he told Sky Sports 1.

"Hopefully we can build on this and have a good second half of the season.

"We're still in the Champions League, the FA Cup and still got a long way to go in the league so we're in a good place and we're all behind each other and hopefully we can kick on now."

The Gunners have won their last three games in all competitions and have won four of their last five league encounters, and man-of-the-match Cazorla wants Arsenal to build on this victory.

"Today the team have a good spirit," he said. "We need to play the same (in future matches) as this game."

Cazorla added: "Today the team played very well and stuck together, which is the most important thing for us.

"We defended well, we had so many chances."

Arsenal set up more defensively than they normally do and seemed happy to allow City more of the possession, but Gunners boss Wenger insisted that their tactics did not differ too much from their normal game plan.

"We did that (play with two holding midfielders) many times believe me," the Frenchman said.

"I think it's more down to everybody doing well in that job.

"As well what you forget when you say we are tactical, in some games away from home we are one or two-nil down after 20 minutes and you have no choice but to open yourself up."

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City, who were looking to extend their unbeaten run in the league to 13 matches, fashioned few chances and are now five points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, who they face in two weeks' time.

Reflecting on only his side's third league defeat of the season, Pellegrini thought referee Mike Dean was wrong to award a penalty and the decision was crucial to the outcome of the game.

He said: "I think the penalty changed the game. I don't like to think it was a penalty, it was not a penalty. It was unnecessary to do it (award the spot-kick) and after that it seemed that the game changed.

"Before the penalty we have the possession of the ball, we play near their box and they (do not) have any clear chances (from open play) to score during the whole game.

"The two goals of Arsenal were set-pieces – one penalty and one free-kick."